Apparatus for breaking rocks under water.



Np. 789,981. 'PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.,

' F LOBNITZ. APPARATUS'PQR BREAKING ROCKS UNDER WATER.

PLICATIOH FILED FEB. 18.1905.

2 SHBBTS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses.

g @344 -MW Inventor I N0. '789.'981-. I PATENTED MAY 16, 1905,

P. LOBNITZ. APPARATUS FOR BREAKING ROCKS UNDER WATER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18.1905.

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Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRED LOBNITZ, OF RENFREW, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR BREAKING ROCKS UNDER WATER- SPEGIFICATION" forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 789,981, dated May 16, 1905.

Application filed February 18, 1905. Serial No. 246,251. i

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED LOBNITZ, engineer and ship-builder,a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Clarence House, Renfrew, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Connected with Apparatus for Breaking Up or Cutting Rocks, Stones, or Earth Under Water or on Dry Land, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus which is generally known as rock-cutting apparatus for cutting or breaking up rocks, boulders, stones, hard earth, and such like whether under water or on dry land.

The present invention is a development of my prior invention, No. 707,128, dated August 19, 1902. Under my prior invention aforesaid the natural slackening or kinking of the hoisting-rope which occurs each time the cutter strikes the rock is utilized to actuate mechanism whereby the clutch of the hoisting-winch is instantaneously and automatically applied so as to prevent the hoisting-rope running out unduly and to enable the winch to immediately begin raising the cutter again for another blow. The arrangement was carried out under my prior invention by means of an arm or lever which was pivoted onthe winch and provided with a roller which rested against the hoisting or winding rope. The arm or lever was connected, by means of a rope, to a weighted lever which was so arranged as to be capable of applying the clutch of the winch, with the result that when the hoisting or winding rope slackened or kinkecl at the winch the weighted lever fell and applied the clutch. I have found in practice that it'is more advantageous to take advantage of the kink which takes place near the upper end of the cutter each time the latter strikes the rock, so as to give, if anything, a more speedy and accurate action and also to do away with the arm or lever on the winch, which was found to be in the way ofthe person operating said winch.

My present invention may be carried out in various ways, according to the nature and structure of the rock-cutter; but I have shown on the drawings annexed hereto, by way of carrying out the invention in connection with an ordinary floating rock-cutter barge.

On the drawings, Figure 1 shows the rockc'utting barge in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan of the barge. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the barge, taken through the central well thereof; Figs. 4 and 4; show a modified arrangement of the invention. Fig. 5 shows another modification.

a represents the barge; b 6 b the sheerlegs; a, the hoisting-winch; d, the cutter; e, the usual hoisting-rope, and f the steam-generator.

Under this invention the sheer-legs are provided with projecting brackets g g, to which are hinged or pivoted two depending arms or links It h, which carry near their lower ends a spindle a, on which a roller 2" is fitted so as to revolve freely. This roller, as will be seen, bears against the hoisting-rope at a point above the upper end of the cutter. The lower ends of the depending links it have wire or other ropes j 1' attached to them, and these ropes pass over pulleys 7c is on the leg 5 and then down over pulleys Z Z through holes in the deck and are connected'to a lever m,

hinged or pivoted at n to a cross bulkhead or post 0. The lever m is connected, by means of a rope p, to the clutch-operating lever q of the winch and also, by means of a rope r, to a weight 8, which is suspended from the lever. With this arrangement it will be readily understood that so long as the hoistingrope e of the cutter is taut the lever m is retained in .the horizontal position and the clutch of the hoisting-winch is kept out of Moreover, owing to the weight 8 causing the roller a to bear With considerable pressure against the hoisting-rope at a point above the cutter immediately the hoisting rope slackens the clutch is positively and instantaneously applied.

In the modified arrangement Fig. 4 the ropes jy' are connected to a forked bar w, (shown in front view, Fig. 4",) which again is connected, by means of a rope c passing over a pulley carried by a projecting bracket 00 on the winch-frame, to the clutch-actuating lever q of the winch and from thence to a Weight .9, as before. As will bereadily understood, this arrangement will operate in the same manner as the arrangement Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the lever m being merely dispensed with and the rope c connected direct to the clutch-operating lever.

Although I have mentioned a weights as being employed for actuating the clutch-lever, it is evident that one or more powerful springs (suitably connected to the lever m in the arrangement. Figs. 1 to 3 or to the lever q in the arrangement Fig. 4c) may be used instead of the weight. Such a spring arrangement is shown at Fig. 5, where e represent springs connected to the lever 122.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, Winding means connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch, and a device arranged on the structure for operating said clutch-operating means whenever the winding means slackens.

2. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, winding means connecting the cutter with the winch, sheer-legs from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch and a device arranged on the sheerlegs for operating said clutch-operating means whenever the winding means slackens.

3. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, winding means connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch and a device arranged on the structure for automatically operating said clutchoperating means whenever the winding means slackens.

4. 1n rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, a hoistingrope connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch and a device on the structure which bears against the hoisting-rope and whenever the latter 'slaekens automatically operates the clutch-operating means.

5. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, a hoistingrope connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch and a device suspended from the upper part of the structure and which bears against the hoisting-rope and whenever the latterslackens automatically operates the clutch-operating means.

6. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, a hoistingrope connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch, a device on the structure and which bears against the hoisting-rope, a weight colinected with the clutch-operating means, and a rope. connecting said weight with the said device.

7. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, a hoistingrope connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch, a device suspended from the upper end of the structure and which bears against the hoisting-rope, a lever, a weight connected with the clutch-operating means and with the lever, and a rope connecting said lever with the said device.

8. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, a hoistingrope connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch, a roller suspended by links from the structure and bearing against the hoistingrope, a lever, a weight connected with the clutch-operating means and with the lever, and a rope connecting said lever with the said device.

9. In rock-cutting apparatus the combination of a cutter, a hoisting-winch, a hoistingrope connecting the cutter with the winch, a structure from which the cutter is suspended, a clutch on the winch, means for operating the clutch, brackets on the structure, links depending from the brackets, a roller carried by said links, a lever, ropes connecting said links to the lever, a weight suspended from the lever and means for connecting said lever to the clutch-operating means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED LOBNIIZ.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. VVooD, DONALD CAMPBELL. 

